Mounting arrangement for the cushioning unit return spring assembly of an end-of-car railway cushioning device

ABSTRACT

A mounting arrangement for the return spring assembly for the cushioning unit of an end-of-car railway cushioning device, wherein the return spring assembly includes a pair of elongated spring units respectively mounted adjacent the lateral side walls of the center sill of the associated railway car so that the spring units extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sill. The longitudinally inner ends of the spring units are connected to brackets mounted on the side walls of the sill and the longitudinally outer or forward ends of the spring units are respectively connected to the ends of a horizontally arranged key which extends laterally through the sill and through a pair of aligned openings in the central portion of the yoke of the cushioning device. The key is separate from the coupler pin which connects the yoke to the coupler.

United States Patent [191 Hawthorne [451 Feb. 12, 1974 [75] Inventor: Vaughn T. Hawthorne,

Mechanicsburg, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Keystone Industries Inc., Chicago,

Ill.

22] Filed: May22, 1972 [21 Appl. No.: 255,600

[52] U.S. Cl 213/8, 213/43, 213/67,

Hawthorne 213/8 3,598,249 8/1971 Vickcrman ..213/8 Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Attorney, Agent, or FirmHibbens, Noyes and Bicknell 5 7 ABSTRACT A mounting arrangement for the return spring assembly for the cushioning unit of an end-of-car railway cushioning device, wherein the return spring assembly includes a pair of elongated spring units respectively mounted adjacent the lateral side walls of the center sill of the associated railway car so that the spring units extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sill. The longitudinally inner ends of the spring units are connected to brackets mounted on the side walls of the sill and the longitudinally outer or forward ends of the spring units are respectively connected to the ends of a horizontally arranged key which extends laterally through the sill and through a pair of aligned openings in the. central portion of the yoke of the cushioning device. The key is separate from the coupler pin which connects the yoke to the coupler.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures sum 2 OF 2 a WW \y\\, q -1 m v mwvm m w h m MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR THE CUSHIONING UNIT RETURN SPRING ASSEMBLY .OF AN END-OF-CAR RAILWAY CUSHIONING DEVICE This invention relates to cushioning devices for railway cars, and more particularly relates to a mounting arrangement for the return spring assembly of the cushioning unit of such a device.

Various mounting arrangements have been heretofore advanced for mounting the return spring assemblies for the cushioning units of end-of-car railway cushioning devices in different locations on their associated railway cars, depending upon the physical characteristics of the devices and the cars. Thus, in railway cars employing a center sill which extends longitudinally throughout the length of the underframe structure of the car and wherein there is ample space in the sill behind the cushioning unit, the return spring assemblies for such cushioning units have been positioned in the center sill behind the cushioning units and in coaxial relation therewith.

In installations where the cushioning devices are mounted in the center sills of the cars and the space behind the cushioning units is restricted or obstructed by other structure,the return spring assemblies are sometimesmounted beneath the cushioning units. An example of such a .retum spring mounting arrangement is disclosed in the Blake U.S. Pat. No.- 3,207,324.

- The return spring assemblies for the cushioning units of railway car cushioning devices employing a horizontal draft key have also been mounted at the sides of the center sill of the car, as disclosed in the Blake U.S. Pat. No. 2,944,681. However, in these installations, the longitudinally outer or coupler ends of the spring assemblies have been connected to the projecting ends of the horizontally arranged draft keys which also connect the couplers to the yokes of the cushioning devices. The draft keys in the aforementioned arrangements have thus been subject to wear from the force of the return springs of the cushioning devices. In addition, such arrangements do not permit removal of the couplers unless the return spring assemblies are disconnected from the ends of the draft keys.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel mounting arrangement for the return spring assembly of the cushioning unit of an end-of-car railway cushioning device, which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.

A more particular object is to provide a novel mounting arrangement of the foregoing character, in which the force of return springs of the cushioning device is applied to the'yoke of the device through a key which is independent of the coupler pin that is mounted in the yoke.

A specific object is to provide a novel return spring assembly mounting arrangement of the character described, wherein the return springs of the assembly are mounted on the sides of the center sill of an associated railway car and wherein the force of the return springs are transmitted to the yoke of a cushioning device in the center sill through a horizontal key which extends laterally through slots-in the sidewalls of the sill and through aperture means in the yoke.

Another object is to provide a novel return spring assembly construction for the cushioning unit of an endof-car railway cushioning device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a broken, fragmentary top plan view of a portion of one end of the center sill of a railway car and showing, in broken lines, an end-of-car cushioning device mounted in the sill and a novel mounting arrangement for the return spring assembly of the device;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the portion of the center sill and cushioning device illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line 33,of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and I FIG. 5 is a staggered, transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

.In FIGS. 1 and 2, a portion of a longitudinally extending center sill, indicated generally at 10, of a railway car is illustrated, the latter being rigidly secured to the underframe (not shown) of an associated railway vehicle (also not shown). As best seen in FIG. 5, the center sill 10 is generally channel-shaped in cross section, and has a top wall 11, laterally spaced side walls 12 which depend from the top wall 1 l, and a pair of laterally outwardly extending flanges 13 which are connected to the lower edges of the side walls 12 and which extend lengthwise of the sill.

Anend-of-c'ar cushioning device, indicated generally at 15, is shown mounted in the sill 10 and comprises three principal assemblies, namely a coupler yoke 16, a cushioning unit 17, and a return spring assembly 18. The cushioning unit 16 is preferably of the hydraulic, double-acting type, such as is disclosed in the now pending Vaughn T. Hawthorne U.S. patent application Ser. No. 195,236, filed Nov. 3, 1971, and is operatively connected to the yoke 16 in end-to-end relation by a piston rod 19 which extends from one end of the unit 16. A portion of the piston rod 19 is disposed in a cylinder (not shown) in the housing of the cushioning unit 17, the cylinder being filled with hydraulic fluid. A piston (also not shown) is mounted inthe cylinder and is secured to the rod 19. Movement of the rod 19 toward the left from the neutral position thereof shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, is thus resisted by the force required to displace hydraulic fluid from one side of the piston to the other side thereof a restricted flow path in the unit 17.

The outer or right end of the piston rod 19, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2' and 3, has an enlarged head or end member 20 which interfits in a recess 21 provided in the inner or left end, indicated at 22 in FIGS. 1-4, of the yoke 16. The opposite orcoupler end, indicated at 26, of the yoke is provided with a pair of vertically spaced portions or bifurcations 27 for receiving the pivot end, indicated at 28, of the shank of a coupler 30. The coupler 30 includes a head 31 which, in this instance, is a standard AAR E-type.'A vertically extending coupler pin 32 interconnects the pivot end 28 of the coupler 30 with the end 26 of the yoke 16. The opening in the shank of the coupler 30 for the coupler pin 32 is such as to provide a clearance 29 (FIG. 4) between the pin and the margin of the opening when the coupler 30. is subjected to buff loads. Consequently, the pin 32 is not subjected to nor does it transmit buff impacts from the coupler 30 to the yoke 16.

As is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 3, the cushioning unit 17 of the device 15 is confined against longitudinal movement in the sill 10 by two pairs of stops 33 and 34, which are secured to the inner sides of the side walls 12 of the sill, at the rear and front of the unit 17, respectively. Another pair of double element stops or draft lugs 35 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 5) are provided at the front of the sill l and are secured to the inner sides of the side walls 12 thereof. Thus, buff and draft load forces applied to the coupler 30 are either transmitted to the unit 17 through the yoke 16 and piston rod 19, and are resisted by reaction forces from the stops 33 and 34, respectively, or are transmitted to the sill directly through the yoke 16 and stops 34 and 35, respectively, depending upon the direction and magnitude of such buff and draft load forces and the previous condition of the unit 17. The cushioning unit 17 is removably retained in the sill 10 by a pair of longitudinally spaced support plates 36 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5) which span the open area of the sill and which are detachably secured to the flanges 13 as by bolts 37. The yoke 16 is likewise removably retained in the sill 10 by a detachable carrier assembly, which is indicated generally at 38 in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 and which is also detachably secured to the flanges 13 by a plurality of bolts 39.

The aforementioned return spring assembly 18 serves to return the yoke 16, and consequently the piston rod 19 and coupler 30, to a neutral position after the impact of a buff force applied to the head 31 of the coupler 30 has been dissipated. To this end, the return spring assembly 18 includes a pair of laterally spaced spring units 42 which are'disposed closely adjacent the outer surfaces of the side walls 12 of the sill 10 in parallel, longitudinally extending relation therewith. A novel mounting arrangement for the return spring assembly 18, to be hereinafter described in detail, is provided for retaining and supporting the assembly 18 in the aforementioned position. i

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, each spring unit 42 includes an elongated support or guide member in form of a tube 43 for supporting compression spring means. In the present instance, such compression spring means comprises three compression-type spring elements in the form of coil springs, respectively indicated at 44a-44c, inclusive, and mounted on the tube 43 in endto-end coaxial relation. A pair of annular spacers 46 are mounted on the tube 43 between the adjacent ends of the springs 44a and 44b, and 44b and 44c.

As heretofore mentioned, a novel mounted arrangement is provided for retaining and supporting the spring units 42 in operative relation adjacent the outer sides of the side walls 12 of the sill 10. Such mounting arrangement preferably comprises bracket means in the 'form of a pair of channel shaped brackets 47 which are respectively secured, as'by welding, to the opposite outer surfaces of the side walls 12 so that the web portion, indicated at 48 (FIG. 3), of each bracket extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sill 10 and the flanges, indicated at 49, of each bracket extend parallelto the sill axis and rearwardly from the web 48 or toward the left as viewed in FIGS. 1-3. Each web 48 is provided with an opening 52 (FIGS. 3 and 5) therethrough, which is sized to permit free sliding movement of the tube 43 therein during buff and draft movements. A retaining abutment in the form of a washer 53 is secured to the outer end of the tube 48, as by welding, to prevent disengagement of the tube 43 from the opening 52.

The opposite or right end of the tube 43 of each spring unit 42 is secured as by welding to a clevis 56 having a plate-like web portion 57 and a pair of vertically spaced flange portions 58 extending forwardly from the web portion 57, or toward the right as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

In order to interconnect the spring units 42 of the return spring assembly 18 with the yoke 16 so that the force of the coil springs 44a-44c is applied to the yoke 16 at a point other than through the coupler pin 32,-the clevises 56 are detachably secured to the outer ends, indicated at 59 of a key 60 which is separate from the coupler pin 32. The key 60, in the present instance, is cylindrical in cross section (FIG. 4) and extends laterally through the sill 10 and the yoke 16. To this end, the side walls 12 of the sill are provided with a pair of oppositely arranged longitudinally extending slots 62, for receiving and guiding movements of the key 60. The key 60 also extends through a corresponding pair of longitudinally extending slots 63 formed in a pair of wear plates 64 secured to the outer sides of the sill walls 17, the slots 63 being substantially coextensive with the slots 62.

In order to provide for the lateral extension of the key 60 through the yoke 16, the latter is provided with aperture means in the form of a pair of laterally aligned, rectangular-shaped openings 66 (FIG. 4) formed in a pair of laterally spaced, vertical side wall portions, indicated at 67, of the yoke 16. Only one of the side wall portions 67 of the yoke is shown in FIG. 5. The interior of the yoke. 16, in the vicinity of the openings 66, is hollow, as indicated at 68 in FIGS. 4 and S, which serves to reduce the weight of the yoke.

With the foregoing construction, it is apparent that when a buff force is applied to the coupler 30, the key 60 will shift rearwardly or toward the left as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, since the key is positioned in the openings 66 in the yoke 16 and is movable with the yoke. If a buff force of substantial magnitude is applied to the coupler 30, the key 60 may travel almost to the rear or left ends of the slots 62, 63, while the cushioning device 15 is cushioning the buff force. The latter position of the key 60 and the corresponding positions of the tubes 43 are shown in.broken lines in FIGS. 2 and 3 and indicated at 60' and 43', respectively.

After the impact of a buff force on the coupler 30 has been dissipated by the cushioning unit 17, the spring units 42 of the return spring assembly 18 apply force on the yoke 16 to return the latter to its neutral position. Such force is not transmitted to the coupler 16 through the coupler pin 32 but instead is transmitted to the coupler through the key 60. Thus, wear on the coupler pin 32 from the force of the spring units 42 is eliminated. In addition, by connecting the spring units 42 to the key 60, which is separate from the coupler pin 32, no'precautions have to be taken if it becomes necessary to remove the coupler pin 32 or coupler 30 for inspection and/or replacement. Moreover, the location of the spring units 42 of the assembly 18 adjacent the side wall 12 of the sill provides the same advantages as are obtained in other mounting arrangements where the return springs are positioned in this same general location.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that modifications and variations thereof may be affected without departing from the concepts of the invention as exemplified in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In an end-of-car cushioning device for cushioning the impact of buff and draft forces applied to the coupler of a railway car, said coupler being pivotally connected to said cushioning device by a coupler pin, said cushioning device being adapted to be mounted on said railway car adjacent one end thereof and including a cushioning unit having a housing adapted to be fixedly mounted on said car and a piston rod extending from one end of said housing, a yoke adapted to be slidably mounted on said car and connected to said piston rod, and a return spring assembly connected to said yoke and biasing the latter toward a neutral position, an improved mounting arrangement for the return spring as sembly of said cushioning device, comprising bracket means adapted to be fixedly mounted on said car and to engage and support one end of said return spring assembly, aperture means in said yoke, and a key adapted to be mounted in said aperture means and to extend laterally through said yoke, said key having at least one end portion projecting outwardly of said yoke, said end portion of said key being adapted to engage and support the other 'end of said return spring assembly, whereby the force exerted by said return spring assembly on said cushioning device is applied thereto through said key and not through said coupler pin and said return springassembly is supported adjacent to and in laterally spaced relation from said cushioning unit and said yoke.

2. The mounting arrangement of claim 1, wherein said return spring assembly includes at least one spring unit, said spring unit includes an elongated support member and at least one compression spring element mounted on said support member, said bracket means is adapted to receive and slidably support one end of said support member, and said end portion of said key is adapted to be connected to and support the opposite end of said support member.

3. The mounting arrangement of claim 2, wherein said compression spring element comprises a coil spring encircling said support member.

4. The mounting arrangement of claim 3, wherein a plurality of said coil springs are mounted on said support member in end-to-end, coaxial relation.

5. The mounting arrangement of claim 2, wherein said bracket means has an opening therein and said support member extends through said opening and has an abutment thereon preventing disengagement of said support member from saidbracket means.

6. The mounting arrangement of claim 5, wherein the opposite end of said support member is adapted to be removably connected to said end portion of said key.

7. The mounting arrangement of claim 6, wherein said yoke includes a cavity defining a pair of laterallly spaced, vertical side walls, and said aperture means comprises a pair of laterally aligned openings in said side walls of said yoke.

8. The mounting arrangement of claim 7, wherein said openings are located substantially centrally in said yoke and are spaced axially inwardly from said coupler pm.

9. The mounting arrangement of claim 2, wherein said railway car includes a longitudinally extending center sill, said return spring assembly includes a pair of said spring units respectively disposed closely adjacent the laterally opposite side walls of said center sill, a pair of said bracket means are respectively adapted to be secured to the side walls of said sill, and said key has a pair of end portions respectively adapted to project laterally outwardly of the side walls of said sill and to receive and support the opposite ends of said elongated support members.

10. An end-of-car cushioning device comprising a hydraulic cushioning unit including relatively movable cylinder and piston rod elements, one of said elements having a predetermined neutral position relative to the other of said elements, a yoke connected in end-to-end relation to one of said elements for movement in unison therewith, said yoke being adapted for connection to a coupler and having a vertically extending coupler pin to provide a pivotable connection with the coupler, and a return spring assembly comprising a horizontal key extending laterally through said yoke, an elongated spring guide member extending rearwardly from one end of said key, bracket means spaced rearwardly from said key and secured in fixed relation to the other of said elements for slidably supporting said spring guide member, and compression spring means located between said key and said bracket means, said compression spring means being compressed in reponse to movement of said yoke toward the other of said elements and thereby tending to return said yoke and said one element toward said neutral position, said bracket means and said key being located so that the line of action of the force of said compression spring means lies in a horizontal plane which substantially passes through the center line of the draft force acting on said yoke, whereby any tendency of said yoke to cock due to the force imposed on said yoke'by said compression spring means is minimized. 

1. In an end-of-car cushioning device for cushioning the impact of buff and draft forces applied to the coupler of a railway car, said coupler being pivotally connected to said cushioning device by a coupler pin, said cushioning device being adapted to be mounted on said railway car adjacent one end thereof and including a cushioning unit having a housing adapted to be fixedly mounted on said car and a piston rod extending from one end of said housing, a yoke adapted to be slidably mounted on said car and connected to said piston rod, and a return spring assembly connected to said yoke and biasing the latter toward a neutral position, an improved mounting arrangement for the return spring assembly of said cushioning device, comprising bracket means adapted to be fixedly mounted on said car and to engage and support one end of said return spring assembly, aperture means in said yoke, and a key adapted to be mounted in said aperture means and to extend laterally through said yoke, said key having at least one end portion projecting outwardly of said yoke, said end portion of said key being adapted to engage and support the other end of said return spring assembly, whereby the force exerted by said return spring assembly on said cushioning device is applied thereto through said key and not through said coupler pin and said return spring assembly is supported adjacent to and in laterally spaced relation from said cushioning unit and said yoke.
 2. The mounting arrangement of claim 1, wherein said return spring assembly includes at least one spring unit, said spring unit includes an elongated support member and at least one compression spring element mounted on said support member, said bracket means is adapted to receive and slidably support one end of said support member, and said end portion of said key is adapted to be connected to and support the opposite end of said support member.
 3. The mounting arrangement of claim 2, wherein said compression spring element comprises a coil spring encircling said support member.
 4. The mounting arrangement of claim 3, wherein a plurality of said coil springs are mounted on said support member in end-to-end, coaxial relation.
 5. The mounting arrangement of claim 2, wherein said bracket means has an opening therein and said support member extends through said opening and has an abutment thereon preventing disengagement of said support member from said bracket means.
 6. The mounting arrangement of claim 5, wherein the opposite end of said support member is adapted to be removably connected to said end portion of said key.
 7. The mounting arrangement of claim 6, wherein said yoke includes a cavity defining a pair of laterallly spaced, vertical side walls, and said aperture means comprises a pair of laterally aligned openings in said side walls of said yoke.
 8. The mounting arrangement of claim 7, wherein said openings are located substantially centrally in said yoke and are spaced axially inwardly from said coupler pin.
 9. The mounting arrangement of claim 2, wherein said railway car includes a longitudinally extending center sill, said return spring assembly includes a pair of said spring units respectively disposed closely adjacent the laterally opposite side walls of said center sill, a pair of said bracket means are respectively adapted to be secured to the side walls of said sill, and said key has a pair of end portions respectively adapted to project laterally outwardly of the side walls of said sill and to receive and support the opposite ends of said elongated support members.
 10. An end-of-car cushioning device comprising a hydraulic cushioning unit including relatively movable cylinder and piston rod elements, one of said elements having a predetermined neutral position relative to the other of said elements, a yoke connected in end-to-end relation to one of said elements for movement in unison therewith, said yoke being adapted for connection to a coupler and having a vertically extending coupler pin to provide a pivotable connection with the coupler, and a return spring assembly comprising a horizontal key extending laterally through said yoke, an elongated spring guide member extending rearwardly from one end of said key, bracket means spaced rearwardly from said key and secured in fixed relation to the other of said elements for slidably supporting said spring guide member, and compression spring means located between said key and said bracket means, said compression spring means being compressed in reponSe to movement of said yoke toward the other of said elements and thereby tending to return said yoke and said one element toward said neutral position, said bracket means and said key being located so that the line of action of the force of said compression spring means lies in a horizontal plane which substantially passes through the center line of the draft force acting on said yoke, whereby any tendency of said yoke to cock due to the force imposed on said yoke by said compression spring means is minimized. 